When We Were Ten
by He Who Lurks in Shadow
Summary: Link has saved Hyrule, but nobody remembers it except for himself. One day, though, he sneaks into the castle and is confronted by Zelda, who demands to be kidnapped. Link does so and here we are!


**A/N: Okay, so this is just random stuff that I thought up. I'm still working on SE, so don't worry. I might have more after this one - not decided yet. Read on and review if you please!**

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**When We Were Ten**

**One**

"Come on!" Link shouted to Zelda, racing across the Field.

"I'm coming!" Zelda shouted back, attempting to catch up. Stepping on the front of her dress, she fell forward, crying out as she made contact.

Link spun and raced back to her without even slowing until he got to her. "Are you okay?" he asked, helping her up.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied quietly, her gaze drifting down to her feet. Link followed suit, realizing the edge of her dress was torn.

"You know, I bet I know someone who can fix that," Link said, excited. "She's a genius at making things!"

"Really?" Zelda asked, mystified at the idea of meeting a genius of anything. She had heard the word once before, along with 'pra-jee,' but only knew it was something really good.

"Yeah!" Link grabbed Zelda's hand and they dashed across the Field toward the Kokiri Forest as fast as their little ten-year-old legs could go.

-

"Saria!!" Link shouted, poking his head into the large tree stump. "Saria!"

"She's gone off into the Woods again," Fado commented. "Mido says you're not allowed to go in there. Mido also said that non-Kokiri people aren't allowed in the Forest at all," she added, noticing Zelda.

"Zellie's allowed!" Link insisted.

"I'll tell Mido!" Fado shouted, running off.

Link turned and walked toward a small path, pulling Zelda along with him. "Come on, before Mido comes."

Zelda nodded and climbed up the vines right behind Link. She followed him as they neared a large tree stump that seemed to vanish off into the darkness. Quelling the sudden fear, she pressed on, staying close to Link

-

"Link?" Zelda whispered.

"Yeah?" he replied in kind.

"Are you sure we're not lost?"

"We're not lost. See that boulder? If you take a right after that, you'll find the Goron City."

"Which boulder?" Zelda asked, looking at the numerous rocks strewn across the area.

"Er… That… one?" Link said, unsure.

"So we're lost?"

Link would have responded, but a howl cut through the air. Zelda screamed and clung to Link as the young Hero's eyes scanned the area. He reached for his sword but found neither blade nor sheath.

Zelda could feel the fear coming from the boy. She had heard about his events in the future, but he had a sword and shield then, and no princess to protect for the most part. "Link, what are we gonna do?"

Link suppressed the urge to run away by concentrating on Zelda. She was latched onto him with a death grip, her entire body shaking from fright. He put his right arm around her, hoping to try to make her feel safe. "It's okay. Come on, we'll find our way out of here."

She nodded and together, they stepped forward into the darkness that was quickly enveloping most of the Lost Woods, as it usually did at dusk.

-

They had made good progress. Link had found four landmarks in a row that he recognized beyond a doubt and had pointed them out with as much excitement that he could muster. It was late, but neither of them had really worried about it because the moon gave enough light to see. Link and Zelda were still together, his arm around her protectively as they slowly advanced.

Another Wolfos howled, the sound causing Zelda to shudder in fear again. Link slowed their pace down for a second, but quickly sped up when he saw what he knew to be the beginning of the maze.

"Here we are," Link whispered, turning right. He navigated most of the maze with ease, stopping at the turn he always got confused at. "I think it's right, but I'm not sure."

Zelda nodded, smiling. "I trust you."

He returned the smile and they plodded on - only to fall into a small pool of water.

Link laughed when Zelda's head popped up at the surface. "Should've taken the left, I guess."

Zelda laughed and swam up to Link. "Maybe next time _I_ should pick the turn, hmm?"

They laughed for a minute or two before they noticed a shadow rising up over the water, blocking the moonlight. Both were still for a second, then Link turned around quickly, throwing as much water at the thing behind him.

"Hey!" Saria shouted. "That was mean!"

Link and Zelda broke out laughing, Saria joining in after a second. After a minute or so, Saria sat down at the edge of the water.

"What brings you out here so late, Link? And who's this pretty girl you're dragging around?"

Link blushed. "This is Zelda. Zellie, this is Saria."

"Nice to meet you, Saria," Zelda said. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I'd like to say the same, but Link's never mentioned you before," Saria said, helping the two out of the water.

Zelda wrung out as much water from her hair as she could, straightening it as best as it could be. "I don't really get out much. Strict father, really. He's afraid if I even step foot out of his sight, I'll get lost or something."

Link laughed. " 'Course, we know that'll never happen, right?"

Zelda laughed as well, watching Link pour water out of his boots. Turning back to Saria, she glanced over the Kokiri before nodding. "You're that Sage girl, too, aren't you?"

Saria glanced over at Link, confused. "Sage?"

Link shrugged as Zelda jumped into one of the hedges. He laughed as he pulled her out, removing the twigs and leaves stuck in her hair.

"So, what have you been up to?" Link asked Saria.

"Keeping Mido in line. Ever since the Great Deku Tree woke back up and you've been allowed to leave whenever you want, he's been a bit angry. Something about giving you 'special privileges," not that he knows what it means."

Link and Zelda followed Saria out of the Lost Woods, arriving in the Forest quickly. They angled toward her house, ignoring the angry scowl from Mido as he passed them.

Once inside, the three sat down. "So Zelda, tell me about yourself," Saria started.

"Well, I'm just your average girl, but I live in a fancy place over in Hyrule Castle Town. My dad spoils me, but he won't let me out of his sight. So, I grabbed Link here and got him to sneak me out. We were just randomly exploring Hyrule…

-

After an hour or two, Zelda glanced out the door and sighed. "I've got to get going."

Link stood up and nodded. "Okay. Back we go, then. I'll see you later, Saria." Saria nodded and bid the two farewell.

Link led Zelda out of the Forest and into the Field. The moon had risen to the top of the sky, bathing the area in its silver glow. They ran along the wall, slowing only when the drawbridge towered over them.

Zelda growled and kicked a rock into the river. "I forgot about that."

Link laughed and ran to the bridge that crossed the river to Kakariko Village. "Fine. They don't want us in, we won't go in!"

Zelda ran after Link, worried that he was planning something drastic. "What are you planning?"

"Come on!" he shouted back, running up the stairs.

Zelda cautiously followed Link through the silent Kakariko Village and to a house. He pulled the door open and slipped in, holding the door open just enough for Zelda to get through. She did so and waited for Link to light a lamp or something. Instead, she felt his hand slip into hers and gently tug her forward. She let him lead her through the dark house, going around a corner, u some stairs, and through a doorway. They stopped the exact second Zelda felt her legs touch something slightly soft.

"Sorry about the light issue," Link whispered. "There's a bed here you're welcome to have until the morning, when we can get back into Town."

Zelda nodded. Quickly realizing that Link probably couldn't see anything either, she responded, "Okay." She leaned forward and crawled onto the bed, finding and sliding under the covers. The bed wasn't quite as good as hers was, but it was almost there. Besides, she was sleeping in an unknown bed in a really unknown place, which added excitement to the whole thing.

To her left, she heard Link moving around. Trying to peer through the darkness, she could just barely make out a figure crawling into what she assumed was a bed. "Link?"

The figure glanced over. "Yeah?"

"Nothing," she replied.

"Oh, okay."

Zelda sighed and rolled over, trying to get comfortable. She heard Link stop moving and guessed that he had fallen asleep. She flopped back over, letting her right hand fall off of the bed. She quickly seized the comfort she had found. As she did so, though, she felt something brush against her hand. Before she could do anything, she realized that it was Link's hand that, too, had flopped off the bed. Carefully, she threaded her fingers through his. She didn't know why, but laying here like this had some sort of calming effect on her, one which she didn't mind at all.

Link smiled and squeezed her hand for a second. "One day, Zellie, I promise, we can do this all the time."

Zelda smiled and returned the squeeze. "I'll remember that promise."

"Good." Link yawned and felt sleep overtake him.

-

The first thing that Link noticed when he awoke was that he wasn't in the bed. Instead, he was curled up in the floor, Zelda next to him, her hand still holding on to his. He shifted his shoulder, moving her head a bit. Her eyes fluttered open as she came back into this world.

"Good morning," Link whispered.

She yawned. "Good morning to you too." She slowly stood and Link followed suit. "How are you?"

He yawned. "Pretty good, considering that I fell into the floor at some point."

"I did, too."

"So, you think you pulled me down or I pulled you?"

She leaned close, staring at Link. Suddenly, she drew back quickly, a smug look on her face. "You did it."  
"Hey! How do you figure that one?"

"It just makes sense," she replied, walking to the door. Link rushed over as she tripped over the front of her dress again.

"Are you okay?" he asked, helping her up.

She nodded. "I'm okay."

"You're bleeding!" Link suddenly exclaimed, noticing the blood that was slowly seeping through her dress.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Link nodded and opened the door. "Come on. We can do a bit more exploring then, if you're up to it."

Zelda sighed. "I'm sorry, Link, but if I don't get home real soon, my daddy will kill me, or you, even."

"Okay. To the castle it is, then!" Link led Zelda out of the strange house, avoiding the gaze of one particularly horrible looking Skulltula.

-

Zelda stormed right up to the castle doors, shoving them open.

As she did so, the King rushed over to her, scooping her up in his arms.

"Zelda! You're okay! When Impa came and said that you had vanished, I was afraid something had happened to you." He lowered her to the ground, but as he did so, he noticed Link.

"Who are you?" he demanded of Link. "What did you do with my daughter?"

Link stood there, frozen. _I knew it! He's gonna chop off my head!_ Trying to quickly come up with a response, he was interrupted by Zelda, who suddenly clung to his chest.

"Please don't hurt him, Daddy! He saved me from the bad Wolfos in the Forest and watched over me while I was outside the castle. He's my friend!"

Link gently removed Zelda from his tunic. Drawing up as much courage as he could, he bowed toward the imposing King, saying, "I am Link, my liege, a humble child from the Kokiri Forest."

The King glanced from Link to Zelda, who was standing beside Link. Sighing, he replied, "Well met. I trust that my daughter was in secure hands?"

Link nodded. "None better in the Forest."

"Very well," the King said. He turned and walked toward the door that led into the throne room. "No more excursions for you, my daughter."

"But Daddy!" she whined.

"You heard me. Impa will be watching, too, so don't even try it." He exited the room.

Zelda sighed and looked toward Link. She leaned close and quickly kissed him on the cheek, whispering "Thanks." She drew back and giggled. "Your face is all red."

"I-I'll see you l-later, o-okay?" he stammered.

She giggled some more, a habit that Link was starting to think that she'd keep for a while. "Okay. Bye-bye!" She left through one of the side doors.

Trying to fight the urge to collapse in the floor, Link walked out of the castle, trying to figure out what in the world had just happened. Whatever it was, he knew he'd be seeing Zelda again, and soon.


End file.
